Ensuring sustainability in JICA’s technical cooperation project at grassroots level

PANO - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on March 9^th organized a seminar, “How to Ensure Sustainability in JICA’s Technical Cooperation Project at Grassroots Level” in Hanoi.

The seminar was attended by Mr. Don Tuan Phong, Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, Vice President of The Vietnam Committee for Foreign NGO Affairs; Mr. Mori Mutsuya, Chief Representative of JICA Vietnam Office, and representatives of concerned organizations.

At the conference. (Source: radiovietnam.vn).

The event aimed at disseminating widely valuable results, experiences and lessons from  small-scale technical cooperation, called JICA Partnership Program (JPP).

JPP has been implemented in Vietnam since 2002 in various sectors including healthcare, agriculture, environment and capacity building for supporting industry. Facts show that the completed JPP projects have effectively been used by local people, and they have also served as models for local people to multiply them in other areas.

Based on these good practices, the Policy Paper introduces important factors and tips to secure sustainability of projects. JICA recommends that both Vietnamese and Japanese executive bodies use these results to build up action plan and implement the Project.

Addressing the seminar, Mr. Mori emphasized: “Although the projects under JICA Partnership Program are of a small scale, they have contributed to cementing the bridge between Vietnamese and Japanese people by directly meeting local grassroots’ need”.

Associate Professor, Doctor Le Van An, Rector of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry recommended that experiences, tips, and example stories presented in the Policy Paper are practical and helpful for the local development in Vietnam. Vietnamese authorities and international organizations conducting local-level development activities should study and adopt recommendations in this Policy Paper.

JPP is a grass-roots technical cooperation program implemented by JICA as a part of ODA (Official Development Assistance). JPP contributes to the social and economic development of developing countries in collaboration with Japanese organizations such as Japanese NGOs, Japanese local governments, Japanese universities and public corporations who have willingness to conduct international cooperation.

By March 2016, JICA Vietnam has implemented 81 projects in total for many purposes including improvement of water supply and drainage system, strengthening of disaster prevention capability, rural development, supporting health care, establishing environmental management system and training for industrial technology.